Chapter Seventeen #3
Setting his foot on the bench at her side, Tavig leaned toward her, his forearm resting on his raised knee. “Is this what ye needed privacy for? To tell me Una was boasting about Mungan? Lass, Mungan wouldnae have been troubled by that. He would have been annoyingly pleased with himself.”
“I suspect he would have been, but that isnae why I asked for privacy.”
Tavig reached out to grasp her hair, rubbing the thick swatch between his fingers. “Ye mean to set some rules, dinnae ye, lass?”
“’Tis most annoying how ye can guess what I am about to do or say. Are ye sure ye cannae read a person’s thoughts?” she asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
“Nay, I cannae read minds. ’Twasnae so verra hard to guess. There wasnae that many choices.”
“Aye, I wish to make a rule or two. To shake off Mungan, we must marry. He will wed Una, and our troubles with him are at an end. This doesnae solve all those problems I mentioned when I explained why I couldnae marry you.” She held up her hand when he started to speak, scowling a little when he grasped it, kissing her palm.
“Ye wish me to go to Drumdearg. Ye think I will see that my fears are foolish once I am there.”
“Aye, loving, I do.”
“I willnae argue that with you. What I ask is that if my fears do prove warranted, I dinnae want us to think that this marriage binds us so tightly we stand like terrified deer waiting for the arrow to strike.”
“Ye want me to agree to let ye walk away if ye ask to go.”
Moira flushed a little beneath his steady look. She was unable to read his expression clearly, and that made her uneasy. She had to weigh her words carefully, and she was not good at that. Sighing and wishing she knew what he was feeling, she nodded.
“Simply because I have agreed to this marriage doesnae mean that I now think it is safe or wise for us to be wed,” she replied.
“This has been forced upon us by necessity. I need to ken that escape is possible if I must seek it. I need to ken that this difficulty with your stubborn cousin hasnae stolen away my chance to make a choice. Aye, and in this case that choice could be one of life or death.”
“Ye think far too much about what may happen.” He sat down next to her, gently pulling her into his arms.
“Someone must. I should like to be proven wrong in my fears.”
“But ye also need to ken that ye can end the danger by leaving me.”
“Aye, so will ye promise me that ye willnae try to hold me to the vows if I decide I must go away?”
“And what if I dinnae promise? What choices do ye have, then?”
“Not verra many, true enough. Howbeit, I could simply try to wait Mungan out. He has accepted that we are handfasted, so I would have a year. Mayhap after having me as the holder of that tower house for a full year, he will more readily accept that I can be an ally even though I am but a wee lass. I shudder at the thought of enduring his wooing again and Una’s unjustified anger, but ’tis far less appalling than the two of us clinging to some sense of honor, to a need to obey laws and vows, as people stack kindling about our feet. ”
“Ye do fear that kindling.”
“As would any sensible person. Weel, do I get that promise?”
“It seems that this time I am to be given no choice. Aye, ye have that promise.” He did not return her smile. “Ye do reveal a skill at robbing a wedding of much hope.”
“Tavig,” she began, then saw Una hurrying her way, the girl’s face transformed by a huge smile.
As Una hugged Moira, Tavig could not help but compare the women’s moods.
Una was so delighted she babbled, whereas Moira smiled faintly, occasionally murmuring congratulations.
Una was full of hope and plans for her future with Mungan.
Moira looked as if she had just taken one step closer to a scaffold.
Tavig tried to be understanding, for he knew the fears she spoke of were very real to her.
That knowledge did little to soothe the sting of pain.
He was sure it was far more than his vanity that was stung, but decided that, under the circumstances, he would do himself no good at all by delving too deeply into those feelings.
“Mungan says the priest will be here within the hour,” Una announced.
“So quickly,” murmured Moira as she allowed Una to tug her to her feet.
“Mungan sees no need to wait. And my father could be here at any moment. ’Twould be best if the deed is done ere he arrives.”
“Aye, it would be,” agreed Tavig. “If naught else, he would wish to keep Moira from wedding me, for the mon will ken that I will take back every farthing he has stolen from her.”
“Oh, dear, Papa willnae like that,” said Una. “Come along, Cousin Moira. We have only a verra short time to try to prepare for our weddings,” she continued as she tugged Moira back to the keep.
Tavig watched the two young women until they disappeared into the castle.
Shaking his head, he stood up and ambled along after them.
He had one thing he desired—Moira would go to Drumdearg.
Unfortunately, getting her to stay there looked to be a very large problem.
Tavig could only pray that he had the skill and the patience to ease her fears enough for her to want to face them at his side.